Three Ships’ Post

When I began my career in child welfare, specifically working with children in foster care. My naive and simplistic reason was that every child deserves a family. Then it became about empowering the family. And then how to change the monstrosity of the child welfare system. Then how to train and develop the foster care workforce. My reason doesn’t change but how I have done it has changed. But the one thing I have learned is that I can’t do it alone. I can’t do it with the team around me. It takes the entire community. Not just social workers. If you are a professor, you can do more research for children and families. If you a doctor, you can provide healing. If you a pastor, you can provide shepherding to the broken families. If you a business person you can see how your company can provide job opportunities for parents to have children returned home. If you are a teacher, you can find ways to teach the child that is unique to their learning style. I can go on and on. If you don’t know how you can help a child or a family that’s involved in foster care then drop a comment and I can help connect that for you! #fostercareawarenessmonth

Measure transformation

May is #FosterCareAwarenessMonth Education is key: "In 2016, there were over 430,000 youth in the U.S. foster care system. The researchers found that the population of youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities in foster care had grown substantially to almost 40,000 – or nearly 9% – and the rates of autism and intellectual disability among youth in foster care were two to five times greater than the rates found in the general U.S. population." #fostercare #disabled #autism #education

Did you know that there are over 420,000 children in foster care in the United States alone? That's nearly half a million kids who need our help to have a safe place to sleep and a warm meal tonight. They need us to show them that they are valued, loved, and full of potential. Sadly, many people are deterred from becoming foster parents due to the inflexibility of their workplace to accommodate the needs of foster families. But it doesn't have to be this way. I am fortunate to work for a company that values work-life balance and allows me to serve these kids. If you're in a position of influence at your organization, consider making a change to be more foster-care friendly. Let's not be an excuse for someone to not make a difference in the life of one of these nearly half a million children. Check out www.fostermore.org for information on how to foster a culture of fostering at your organization. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of these kids who just need someone to give them some hope. #FosterCare #FosterMore #MakeADifference

RESPOND is a culturally competent approach to foster care, designed to support potential foster/adoptive/guardianship families from the Black community as they enter the foster care system. The need for RESPOND arose due to the significant shortage of Black foster parents in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area. Currently, only 17% of local foster parents are Black, despite twice the number of Black children being placed into foster care compared to Caucasian children. Furthermore, African American children tend to remain in foster care nearly a year longer than their White counterparts. Want to become a RESPOND foster parent? Contact: Jenny Jones – Director of RESPOND 1750 South Brentwood Boulevard, Suite 210, Saint Louis, MO 63144 o 314.367.8373 e [email protected] Learn More: https://lnkd.in/gumDUFAi #respond #representationmatters #foster #adopt #fosterparent #becomeafosterparent

Dive into the insightful world of foster care with 'Foster Care in America: A Reference Handbook' by Christina G. Villegas. 📖 This comprehensive book sheds light on the complex and crucial aspects of the foster care system, emphasizing the importance of stable family environments for children's development and well-being. Fostering Unity is committed to learning, advocating, and supporting those who dedicate their lives to nurturing children in need.

The great thing about us for the fostering curious? We are not the agencies or the local authorities we are not going to do the heavy sell, we are there for you to chat, question, mull over, take your time, ponder, get proper inside information, no question too big or small, you can talk about your concerns, any worries you have about the children, about the money, how it would fit with you, what kind of fostering there is to suit you and a whole lot more. Informally, confidentially and with true independents who are the defintitve experts. Why not take a look 👇 Begin your fostering journey with us 😊 #fostering #curious #independent #insideinfo

Today is the last day of National Foster Care Awareness Month! This month is dedicated to recognizing the children who are living in foster care, the foster parents who care for them, and the staff who facilitate foster/adoption services. However, we hope that you are supportive of those involved in foster care year-round! Interested in getting involved as a foster parent? Read stories from our foster families and FAQs about foster care at https://lnkd.in/ed4PMDdF #FosterFriday #FosterCare #FosterCareAwarenessMonth

Why does the matching process matter so much in foster care? Positive outcomes for children in foster care start with exceptional matching 👏 Finding families who have the skills, experience, and family dynamics that meet a child's individual needs leads to a more stable home. It can also mean a more enjoyable and rewarding experience for the foster family. Read more about matching in our latest blog: https://lnkd.in/eUMtgCsv

What to expect when a student is in foster care? Why is it so important for youth to remain in the same school district while in foster care? How can local schools ensure that there are enough foster families? All Iowa educators are invited to join us on November 2 at 3:30 p.m. to find out the answers to these questions and more.